Cotter-key.



F. S. MQWHORTER.

COMER KEY.

APPLICATION FILED 1111.11, 1908. BENBWBD MAB. 13.1909.

Patented Ap1n27, 1909.

(Rhum TER, a citizen of Fig. 4.

i UNITED STATES T OFFICE.

FRANCIS S. MCWHORTER, OF RIVERTON NEW JERSEY,

TURING COMPANY, OF RIVERTON, NEW JERSEY,

ASSIGN OR TO McWHOR-TER MAN UFAC- A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Patented April 27, 1909.

1909. Serial No. 483,298.

No. 919,925. I Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 11, 1908, Serial No. 415,438. Renewed March 13,

i Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures. l

Referringto the drawings :-A designates a cotter key, which is composed of a pair of f legs B, B, and the loop B', which latter joins Ootter-Key, of which the following is a speci# what may be termed the upper ends of said fication. legs and imparts resiliency thereto and per- My invention consists of a cotter key mits the legs to slide to the right and left formed of resilient legs normally spreadl on each other, said legs in their normal po.- apart, with slopes in oppositedirections on 'l sition being spread-apart as shown in Figs. the outer terminals thereof, the points of I 1 and 2, and so together presenting a tapersaid slopes being adapted to meet at or about l ing form in the direction of their length. the central line of the longitudinal axis of 4 On what may be termed the lower end of the key producing practically a common point for the latter at said line, so that when the key is inserted in an opening of a member which the key is intended to occupy, the point of the key and adjacent portions of the slopes are of less diameter than said openmg, so that they readily enter the latter I two legs meet at or about the center of the without the points as u common point prei longitudinal axis of the key, and the sloping senting any obstacles to such entrance and l or bevel-surfaces diverge from said points. the slopes ride on the wall of the same, thus The operation is as follows The points of contracting the normal width of the legs of the legs are presented as a common oint of the key, whereby they frictionally engage the key to an opening F, which is cy indrical said wall, and after they pass the opening inform, see Fig. 2, and forced thcreinto, the expand or spread-apart, and thus slo ing or bevel-surfaces then riding on the cause the key to take iirin hold of the wall of I wa vof the opening and consequently causing the opening, which hold cannot be overcome the legs to slide on eachother from their except by superior force exerted on the key.

It also consists of means serving to assist in preventing improper displacement of the key from its place of occupation.

For the purpose of explaining my invention, the accompanying drawing illustrates a satisfactory reduction of the same to practice, but the important instrumentalities thereof may be varied, and so it is to be understoodthat the invention is not limited to the speclfic 'arrangement and organization shown and described.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a cotter key embodying the invention. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the same in normal condition.- Fig. 3 represents a side elevation of the same in operative condition. Fig. 4 represents a side elevation showing the positlon of members of the key as having Just entered the opening it isintended to occupy. F' 5 represents a bottom end view thereof ta en from Fig. 2. Fig. 6 repre- 'sents a bottom end view thereof taken from T 0 all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that l, FRANois S. MoWi-ioR- the United States, residing at Riverton, county of Burlington, State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful each leg, is the slopingoi' bevel-surface C, it being not-iced that said surface extends from tlie terminal of the leg upwardly and outwardly to .the side of the leg as at D, and forms a well-defined point E at it being also contracted in width and produce a comparatively cylindrical body of the same, see Fig. 4. As the points, bevel-surfaces and bodies of the legs pass through the opening',- the bodies begin to expand, as shown in Fig. 3, so that they frictionally engage the wall ofthe opening, and so remain securely in position. The sides of the legs are cut away from the places D, toward the loop B', thus leaving at said places the shoulders G, which face in a direction toward said loop and are sufficiently near the oints of the legs for operative purposes, it eing evident that should improper withdrawal movement be imparted to the key, the shoulders G abut against the wall of the opening F, and so provide la stop or barrier to the furtheradvance of the key through said opening, the effect of which is evident.' Said shoulders may be overcome, however, by superior force, and thus the key may be readilywithdrawn or removed from its lace of occupation. l

he loop B is shown of reduced thickness said terminal,- noticed that the points of the I spread-apart or expanded position, and so be' as compared with'the legs B. By this provision, it possesses increased resiliency for permitting the legs to partly cross each other in their expanded condition, and to be pressed towardeach other in their contracted condition in entering the opening F, 'as shown i in Fig. 4, after Which said legs are firmly engaged by friction with the wall of said opening owing to their partly expanded condition,

terial that the loop or bow occupies, or by removing some of the said material at said portion and so thinning the same, while the material of the legs may retain an original l condition that of half-round wire, to which reduction and material, however, l do not limit myself.

i Having thus described my invention, what l I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A cotter key composed of a pair of resilient legs normally spread-apart, 4each leg having a point on its inner side and a slope leg, the slopes being in opposite directions, l and the points normally meeting at or about l the center of the longitudinal axis of the key. l 2. In a cotter key, a pair of resilient legs l with points on the ends of the inner sides thereof, said points normally meeting as a common point of the key at or about the center of the longitudinal axis of the key, and sloping surfaces extending respectively in opthe outer sides of the legs.

FRANCIS S. MCWHORTER. Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, l HARRY C. DALTON.

extending therefrom to the outer side of the posite directions from said meeting-points to 

